1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to beacons and markers, and more specifically to a portable, weather-resistant, audio and visual marker for identifying a geographical place of interest.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of markers and beacons have been used for decades. These devices permit a person to mark a place so that he may return later, or aid to identify a place so that a traveler can identify his position. These include permanent markers on the ground that are used by aviators, such as navigational aids, and buoys used on the sea by mariners.
More recently, a need has become apparent for a marker that can be temporarily deployed. Such devices would be used by military and police who have the need to quickly mark a location for later return. The conditions faced by such a marker are severe. They may be dropped from an aircraft to mark the location of illegal crops or thrown from a moving police car to mark possible evidence. The markers are subject to extreme abuse and shock. Thus, these markers must be rugged. Further, due to the nature of their use, the markers may be lost quite easily. Thus, they need to be inexpensive as well.
Currently, there are no markers available that are able to be thrown or launched from an aircraft or automobile that are rugged, reliable, simple to use, and inexpensive. Existing technology requires the use of parachutes or other speed-reducing components, handles, and ground-engaging portions, such as a spike. These features greatly increase the size, weight, complexity and cost of a beacon. In addition, any ground-engaging feature is quite hazardous to those on the ground.
Therefore, there has been and continues to be a need for an audio and visual marking device that easy to manufacture and maintain, reliable in all conditions, and rugged enough to withstand tremendous impact forces.